In the last quarter of 2022, Yahoo was the most imitated brand in phishing attempts, according to a report from security researchers.
The report revealed that 20% of all phishing attempts recorded in the wild were related to Yahoo, with cybercriminals distributing emails claiming that recipients had won prize money from initiatives organized by Yahoo, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The phishing messages also warned that the recipients must refrain from telling people about winning the prize because of legal issues. It asked the recipients to share their personal information and bank details in order to receive the winning prize money into their accounts.
DHL came in second place with 16% of all brand phishing attempts, and Microsoft followed in the third spot with 11%. The technology sector was the most imitated by brand phishing in the last quarter of 2022, followed by shipping and social networks.
Know what to look out for in your inbox:
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Be skeptical of emails claiming you've won a prize.
Check the URL of the page you're directed to - it should be a URL you'd expect for the company.
Never click on suspicious links or attachments.
Avoid volunteering personal information unless you're on a known website.
The report comes a couple of months after security researchers noticed a 78% increase in email impersonation attacks spoofing the Netflix brand in October 2022.
Check out this short video about brand impersonation phishing attacks!
Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtube.com/shorts/n7LBUcM_oWc?feature=share
It's clear that cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to impersonate popular brands and scam people out of their money. Stay vigilant and protect yourself from phishing attacks!
Learn more about HacWare: MSP partners can decrease the likelihood their end users will click on a phishing email by 60%. Let us educate your end users with automated, AI-driven phishing simulations and under three-minute micro-trainings to keep user attention and improve learning outcomes.
Learn more about our partner program and how we can support your MSP's growth!